The state Department of Agriculture has added four counties to Pennsylvania’s spotted lanternfly quarantine zone ahead of the 2025 spring hatch. With this addition, the quarantine zone for this invasive pest is now at 56 counties, although more than half of these counties have relatively small, isolated lanternfly populations. Bradford, Sullivan, Venango, and Wyoming are the newly added counties.    

“As you clean up your yard or just enjoy beautiful Pennsylvania spring days, you can help keep lanternflies from becoming a summer nuisance and harming our valuable grape and nursery industries,” Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Every spotted lanternfly egg mass you scrape and squash is 30-50 damage-causing insects that won’t hatch in May.” 

The invasive spotted lanternfly was first discovered in the U.S. in Berks County in 2014. While aggressive, coordinated efforts among states and industry have slowed its spread, the insect, which spreads largely by hitching rides on cars and other vehicles, continues to threaten valuable food and ornamental crops. 

The quarantine prohibits the movement of any spotted lanternfly living stage, including egg masses, nymphs, and adults, and regulates the movement of articles that may harbor the insect. Businesses that operate in and out of quarantined counties are required to get a permit, demonstrate that they recognize lanternflies, and avoid transporting them. To learn more about the quarantine, click here. For pictures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing the many colorful phases of the spotted lanternfly, click here.